The priesthood established: Aaron, type of Christ

The sacrifices and the rules for partaking of them being thus
appointed, priesthood is established (chap. 8) according to the
ordinance. Aaron and his sons are washed; Aaron is then clothed, and
the tabernacle, and all that was therein, was anointed, and Aaron
also, and this without blood.

In this we have, I apprehend, a bright inlet into the way in
which the universe is filled with glory. When Aaron alone is anointed
without blood, the tabernacle is also. The fulness of the divine power
and spiritual grace and glory which is in Christ, fills the whole
scene of created witness of the glory of God; that is, the energy of
the Holy Ghost fills it with the claim and witnesses of the excellency
of Christ. When the creature has had to do with it, then, indeed, as
on the great day of atonement, it has all to be purified and
reconciled with blood. But this does not undo the direct title in
grace and divine excellency in Jesus. It is His on this ground too. It
is His as Creator of it all. It may have contracted impurity.
Redemption is the ground of the restitution of all things, and the
creature is delivered from the bondage of corruption. But as His
creation it all belonged to God. As the normal order it was, as
created -- consecrated to God (see also Col. 1: 16 and 21).

Aaron's sons; the ground of their place with God

When Aaron's sons are brought in, the altar is purified with
blood, because we have got out of the mere personal excellency and
title of Christ. When the sons of Aaron are clothed with the priestly
garments, sacrifices are offered, beginning with the bullock for a
sin-offering, and Aaron and his sons have its blood put upon ear and
thumb and toe; and then Aaron and his garments, his sons and their
garments with him, are sprinkled with oil and blood according to the
directions given in Exodus. The blood of Christ and the Spirit are the
ground on which we, associated with Him, have our place with God.

Jehovah's presence in blessing manifests His acceptance of the
sacrifices

On the eighth day Jehovah was to appear and manifest the
acceptance of the sacrifices offered on that day, and His presence in
the glory in the midst of the people. This manifestation took place
accordingly: first Aaron, standing by the sacrifice, blesses the
people; and then Moses and Aaron go into the tabernacle, and come out
and bless the people. That is, there is first Christ, as Priest,
blessing them, in virtue of the offered sacrifice; and then Christ, as
King and Priest, going in and hiding Himself for a little in the
tabernacle, and then coming out and blessing the people in this
twofold character. When this takes place, as it will at the coming of
Jesus, the acceptance of the sacrifice will be publicly manifested,
and the glory of Jehovah will appear to the people, then become true
worshippers through that means.

The time of Israel's knowledge of the acceptance of the
sacrifice

This is a scene of the deepest interest; but there is a remark
to be made here. The church is not found in this place (though there
are general principles which apply to any case of connection with
God), unless it be in the persons of Moses and Aaron. The blessing
comes and is made manifest; that is, the acceptance of the victim is
made manifest when Moses and Aaron appear at their coming out of the
tabernacle. It will be thus with Israel. When the Lord Jesus appears,
and they recognise Him whom they pierced, the efficacy of this
sacrifice will be manifested in favour of that nation. It will be
public by the manifestation of Christ. Our knowledge of that efficacy
is during the stay of Christ within the veil, or rather in heaven
itself, for the veil is now rent. Israel will not know the acceptance
of the sacrifice until Christ comes forth as King; for us the Holy
Ghost is come forth while He is yet within, so that we have the
anticipatory certitude of that reception, and are connected with Him
there. And it is this which gives to the Christian his proper
character.

The place of Jehovah's manifestation

Here the manifestation takes place in the court where the
sacrifice was offered, and when Moses and Aaron have come to the place
where God talked with the people (not where He Communed with the
mediator only, that is, the ark of the testimony, where the veil was
no longer on the face of him who also communed with the Lord), and
answering to this figure the manifestation will be here. There is a
very peculiar circumstance connected with that. There had been no
sacrifice whose blood was carried into the holy place, though the body
of the bullock was burnt without the camp [1] . A sin-offering was
indeed offered, but it was such as ought to have been eaten by the
priest (see chap. 10: 17, 18). The relationships which had been
established were comparatively external. The sin and defilement were
carried clean out of the camp and done away; but there was no entering
in within the veil, or meeting God there.

[1] It does not exactly appear whether the goat for the people
(chap. 9: 3) was burnt without the camp. It is said in chapter 10: 16
that it was burnt, and that its blood was not brought into the holy
place for sin, so that they ought to have eaten it. So that if it was
burnt outside the camp it was an error; the bullock for Aaron was,
though the blood was not carried within the veil. Of the goat it is
merely said, "offered it for sin, as the first," (chap. 9:
15). Aaron's sacrifice seems to shew that the character of Christ's
priesthood does not bring Israel into fellowship with what is within
the veil, though Christ may have suffered on the cross for them. The
blood was put on the altar in the court. The sons should have eaten
that for the people, as for a particular fault of a people already in
relationship with God. They are the offerings after the consecration
of Aaron, not those of his consecration. Then there was naturally no
offering for the people there. Now his hands were filled. The reader
may remark, as regards the remnant of Israel (the one hundred and
forty-four thousand who are on Mount Sion with the Lamb, the Sufferer
in Israel, now King there), that they are on earth, but they learn the
song sung in heaven, though they are not there to sing it.